SOC 3750 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3.1: The Second Sex, Organizational Culture, Glass Ceiling

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOC 3750
• Professor: Patrick Parnaby

Document Summary

Has been argued that career women, especially in male-dominated occupations, are forced to choose between femininity and an image of professionalism: gender identity vs. career. Crime-fighti(cid:374)g i(cid:373)age of rugged(cid:374)ess a(cid:374)d (cid:373)as(cid:272)uli(cid:374)it(cid:455) (cid:373)a(cid:455) (cid:271)e (cid:374)egati(cid:448)el(cid:455) la(cid:271)elled as (cid:862)(cid:271)ut(cid:272)h or d(cid:455)ke(cid:863: those (cid:449)ho do (cid:374)ot atte(cid:373)pt to (cid:373)eet this ideal risk (cid:271)ei(cid:374)g defi(cid:374)ed as (cid:449)eak or (cid:862)pa(cid:374)s(cid:455)(cid:863) Female police officers first employed to fulfill stereotypically feminine jobs: e(cid:454). Guardi(cid:374)g ju(cid:448)e(cid:374)iles a(cid:374)d (cid:449)o(cid:373)e(cid:374) i(cid:374)(cid:373)ates, prote(cid:272)ti(cid:374)g (cid:455)ou(cid:374)g girls fro(cid:373) (cid:858)so(cid:272)ial e(cid:448)ils(cid:859) The debate on their skills and abilities began when women began performing typical male police duties in the 1960s. Occupation of policing is masculine by social construction: maintained through authority, heterosexism, the ability to display force, and the subordination of women. Female officers are acculturated into these values, which restrict their behaviour to feminine tasks. By adopting this work, the female officers themselves maintain the hegemonic masculinity. Those who dare challenge are isolated, harassed, and put physically and emotionally at risk.